讀後心得

Recently, U.S. President Trump announced the imposition of high tariffs on imported goods from 185 countries, rekindling the trade war. The U.S. holds an advantage in service trade, with annual revenues approaching $300 billion, making it a primary target for retaliation from other countries. EU officials stated that they have drafted countermeasures targeting the U.S. service industry, potentially adjusting import regulations and intellectual property laws in response to the high tariff policies of the U.S. Once implemented, this could severely impact U.S. service exports and the technology industry.

The United States has a distinct advantage in the service trade sector, which may become a target for retaliation from other countries.

Recently, the U.S. president announced high tariffs on imports from 185 countries, escalating the trade war once again. Although the U.S. has long been in a trade deficit in goods, it demonstrates significant advantages in service trade, with annual revenues approaching $300 billion (approximately NT$9.9 trillion). EU officials have also stated that the EU has developed countermeasures, viewing the U.S. service industry as a primary target for retaliation.

Reports indicate that the U.S. is the world's largest exporter of services, covering high-value fields such as finance, tourism, engineering, healthcare, and cloud technology. Many services are delivered digitally, such as spending by foreign tourists in the U.S., subscriptions to streaming platforms by international audiences, and cloud services purchased by businesses, all of which generate astonishing profits for the U.S.

It is expected that by 2024, the U.S. surplus in service trade will reach $300 billion; economists point out that the trade surplus from digital content and services alone could reach $600 billion (approximately NT$19.9 trillion), nearly equivalent to a year's worth of exports from France.

The European region director of Eurasia Group highlighted that Europe has substantial leverage in the service sector. The U.S. high tariff policy has triggered a chain reaction, with multiple European nations planning to focus their counter-retaliation on service trade. The EU is also prepared to activate a "counter-coercion tool," a bill that grants member states extensive retaliatory means, including raising import thresholds for services, restricting market access, and altering intellectual property rules to directly counter U.S. tariff policies.

Moreover, EU officials mentioned that in recent years, the EU has strengthened regulation of tech giants, with companies such as Google, Apple, and Meta having to adjust their operational policies in the European market. If the EU officially takes action, it will directly impact the most profitable service sectors in the U.S., severely harming service exports and significantly affecting tech companies in Silicon Valley and financial institutions on Wall Street, leading to immense economic pressure on the United States.